Government Energy Policy, Business and Technology

Q&A: Michigan lawmaker ends tenure with bitter campaign against utilities

Energy News Network: Michigan state Rep. Gary Glenn has spent four six years in the Legislature railing against regulated energy markets, and particularly against “monopoly utility bosses” at DTE Energy and Consumers Energy.

On August 7, the Republican lawmaker’s bid to continue that crusade in the state Senate was cut short when he lost a primary race to former state Rep. Kevin Daley, 59 percent to 41 percent.

Glenn blames his loss on the hundreds of thousands of dollars spent by nonprofit 501(c)(4) “social welfare” groups in support of his opponent. At least one such group, Citizens for Energizing Michigan’s Economy, received major funding from one of the Michigan’s largest utilities, Consumers Energy.

Read article